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I decided to mix it up a bit and do something new. I am a little bit obsessed with pictures… taking them and then looking at them over and over. So as I was reminiscing about a time that Europe … Continue reading →

So here is the first of several many posts I am going to have about my recent holiday to the south of France and Spain. It was such an awesome time and I have no idea how I am going to write all about it! Bear with me… I promise I will get to it eventually.

Biarritz beach early in the morning

Callie and I left on the 19th late at night for Biarritz to meet the family I am au pairing for. They had rented a house just outside Biarritz and invited us to stay with them for a few days. Callie and I were really excited to go on the night train because it was one that was supposed to be designed for a younger crowd (such as, having a bar/club on board). Although it was not what we expected, it still ended up being a lot of fun. I tried Desperados for the first time, which is beer and tequila mixed! Definitely not very tasty… but made for a very interesting train ride! Because Callie and I got no sleep on the train, we were exhausted when we got into Biarritz.

The colorful tents lining the beach

We arrived there around 6am and had to wait until about 10am for our family to pick us up. We must have looked so funny– exhausted, no place to go, and with luggage! However, there is so much beauty in seeing the beach this early. Beside the occasional runners, the beach was empty and quiet. We sat there watching people set up the tents to get ready for the day. The beaches in Europe are very different than California. They set up all of these tents and activities on the beach– a huge ordeal! Seeing the beach made me miss San Diego a bit but I reminded myself where I was and the adventures I am about to take on! Callie and I sat on the beach until the stores and cafes started to open. We grabbed a bite to eat and then the family came to pick us up. I was nervous but they are so nice. I felt comfortable right away!

Our house just outside of Biarritz

Me in the middle of the road on our beautiful walk

When we arrived at their house, I fell in love with the boys I will be watching right away. I am extremely fortunate to have found such a great family. After resting for a bit, I had lunch with the family and their guests. I cannot get over this love affair I have with the food in France. Even the simplest meal can be so mouth-watering. I seriously look forward to every meal. On the bright side, Europeans walk everywhere so hopefully my tummy doesn’t start to show how much I love the food! Callie and I decided to explore the village after lunch. All the country houses are look like they are out of a movie. Almost all the houses have red shutters in this area because in the past when there was no paint, they used bull’s blood. The walk was phenomenal. Green, luscious plants line the dirt roads making for an idyllic walk through the French countryside. When we got back home, we joined everyone in the pool and had a laid back evening.

Me and my pot of delicious mussels!

The next day we decided to join the family on a day trip to a town near by called St. Jean de Luz. Another gorgeous beach town. We walked around with the family taking in the sights and shopping in the little stores that line the streets. We were able to see the church that Louis XIV married Marie Antoinette. It is incredible to me that there is so much history intertwined with modern culture on the streets in Europe. People hustle and bustle on the streets flooding the tourist shops and then you just turn the corner to find a miraculous church filled with remarkable history. I will always love this the most about Europe.

One of the things this area is known for is their mussels. As food connoisseurs, Callie and I of course had to try them! There are no words to describe the delectable tastes that came from the pot of mussels I consumed–truly incredible! Callie got mussels with a blue cheese sauce and mine was cream based with a touch of peppers in it. Now I know why they are famous for them! Delicious!

After our day trip, we went back to the house and played with the boys. And of course, we had a fabulous dinner! We rested up the rest of the night for our trip in preparation to go Bilbao the next morning. Before our bus ride to Bilbao, we walked around Biarritz a bit. The bus ride to Bilbao was about 3 hours. Stay tuned for most posts about my holiday!